English/ESL Lessons
Q: What happens in a typical lesson?
A: All lessons are different, but most students will combine conversation with some grammar/vocabulary work and some skills practice (reading, writing, speaking, listening). How much we focus on any of these depends on the student’s needs and what the student chooses to focus on. Some just want to focus on certain areas - maybe accent reduction, conversation practice, or preparing for a job interview o TOEFL exam. Below is an example of a normal session. You will read a short article (story) to me which should take you about 3-5 minutes to read. You will do this each time you meet with me so I can detect what words you have difficulty pronouncing. I will encourage you to keep a running list of those words and keep adding to them week after week. One important homework assignment would be for you make a paragraph or few sentences using "those words" that were causing difficulty, and practice the paragraph or sentences before next week's lesson. Then we will have a discussion about the article. Next, we will move on to conversation topics in a variety of areas. We will also review common idioms, slang, and expressions because they are often used in everyday conversation and important to know. Finally, I will give you some links to very short videos (normally less than 45 seconds long) and you will talk about the video. All along the way I will point out all your errors, analyze them with you, and tell you how to correct them. The goal is always to get you to speak as much as possible, and for me to coach you along the way. Some people want to do other things or focus upon a certain area, and I am happy to accommodate most of their requests.
Q: What is your teaching method?
A: We teach using the communicative method and focus on integrated skills. That means you will be doing lots of speaking, combined with other skills such as reading, writing, and listening. Of course, all lessons are personalized according to what you want and need from your English course. Our goal is to help individuals achieve results quickly with emphasis on speaking and pronunciation.
Q: How often/long do I need to study English?
A: Most students choose to study for 1.5 Hours a week because they realize the one hour time goes by very fast. Other students have a busy schedule and are only able to meet for 1 hour a week. Students are welcome to change the time length to 1.5 hours if they feel 1 hour is not enough and we will try to accommodate the change depending on the availability and schedule. You can take a 60, 90, or 120 minute lesson. We often meet with students for a little as a few months to as long as a year. For some students, we are the only place they feel comfortable speaking English and they enjoy the opportunity they have each week to speak English with us. For other students, they may be seeking to improve their TOEFL scores, prepare for an upcoming job interview or presentation, or citizenship exam, we generally meet with them a few times or as often as they wish until they feel comfortable on their own.
Q: Do I need to sign a contract or pay registration fees?
A: There is no contract you need to sign for English lessons. There is also no registration fees required.
Q: How long will it take me to be fluent in English?
A: Learning a language is a long process and every student is different. How long it takes depends on many things: at what age you first studied a foreign language, your natural ability, your commitment to lessons, studying, and homework, and what level you would like your English to be. Do you just want to be able to communicate day-to-day, or do you want to be able to pass the TOEFL? Do you want to sound like a native-speaker? English may be something you continue to develop for the rest of your life, even after you are considered ‘fluent’. We will develop a course for you starting with your most important needs, and keep adding to that until you are where you want to be.You can expect to begin to see steady progress within three months after the start of tutoring. It is common to first see a change in attitude and self-confidence followed by a steady improvement.
Q: Do you offer lessons to a group of two or more people?
A: Yes, we offer small groups (Maximum of three). We charge a modest additional rate. We also offer English conversation groups from time to time.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A: Your lesson time is reserved for you. If you need to cancel a lesson, you must give 24 hours advance notice by email. Your teacher will arrange a make-up class or the next lesson. Lessons not canceled within 24 hours will not be made-up, and you will be charged for the lesson. Of course, we understand that sometimes there may be an emergency situation and you will be unable to give 24 hours advance notice. In that case, please be sure to make contact as soon as you are able. In the event of an emergency, a make-up class may be offered at the instructor's discretion.
Q: Do you have a guarantee?
A: Yes, we guarantee our English and ESL Services., if you are not satisfied for whatever reason, your first hour will be free! We are committed to providing you with the best tutoring possible.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Please contact us at [email protected] or call Michael at 314-346-1616 so that we may discuss your specific needs and schedule a consultation.
